The inside scoop on food in Los Angeles

Hello, Hello Kitty: Royal/T in Culver City will help fete the 35th anniversary of Sanrio Inc. The celebration runs from Oct. 23 to Nov. 15. Along with the "Three Apples" art exhibit, the cafe will offer a Hello Kitty menu: Hello Kitty's "kawaii high tea"; toasted white bread sandwiches such as "say hello chicken and artichoke tramezzini" and "school is fun ham and cheese; and hand-decorated "sweety happy cookies." (All served by Royal/T cafe's maid-outfitted servers.) Sunday, Nov.1, is Hello Kitty's birthday party, featuring an assortment of Hello Kitty pancakes and waffles, a DJ, party games and prizes; birthday cake served 4 to 5 p.m. 8910 Washington Blvd., Culver City, (310) 559-6300, www.royal-t.org.

A Drago for Orange County: Chef-restaurateur Celestino Drago is expanding the Drago empire, with plans to open another new Italian restaurant -- Osteria Drago. The restaurant will be Drago's first outside of L.A., to be located at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. The menu will include Naples-style pizza from a wood-burning oven as well as regional family-style dishes: fresh pasta, polenta, fish and game. The more-than-3,700-square-foot space also will include a wine bar and patio seating. Felderman Keatinge & Associates designed Drago Centro in downtown Los Angeles and will design Osteria Drago. The opening is slated for early next year.